Turangawaewae: a place to stand. Everyone can benefit from Aotearoa spirituality and connection to the land of Aotearoa. Turanga (standing place) and waewae (feet) combine to provide us with our foundation, understanding our standing place before moving forward with our mana. As this is the first Diary Of An Aotearoa Warriors Fan of 2022, it's only right that we tap into this energy and check in with Aotearoa Warriors 2022 Turangawaewae.

Of course, a new year means new hope for Warriors fans. We all know the yarn and we all chuckle when the bro throws up hope for the new Warriors season. Most Warriors fans only know what's happening with the NRL team and this gets tricky when basing all expectations, hope or emotional investment in how the NRL teams performs. Especially when we are now entering the third season impacted by pandemic things and no team has felt this impact like the Warriors of Aotearoa.

The NRL team have adapted to establish their turangawaewae in Queensland. Linking up with Redcliffe Dolphins has provided a support system for the Warriors and this has been a lovely relationship given that Redcliffe are working towards their 2023 NRL season. When this collaboration started, Redcliffe were setting up NRL-ready infrastructure and are now amplifying that towards their NRL inclusion. As Redcliffe are the Warriors support system in Australia, their developments benefit the Warriors in the short-term.

When pondering Warriors turangawaewae, foundations are most important. Right now there are no other Warriors teams apart from their NRL team. Sure, there was the World Schools Sevens team that played against other Warriors juniors and there are sporadic Future Warriors games in Auckland. There are no Under 18/19/20/21 teams, no reserve grade Warriors team and no wahine Warriors team.

Don't buzz about the full-time move from Aotearoa to Australia for at least two years, the greatest impact of the pandemic has been on all the other Warriors teams. Every other NRL team has age-group teams from Under 16 to Under 21s, some clubs have multiple reserve grade teams and in a few weeks NRLW will kick off with a bunch of teams competing for the first time.

2019 was the last season of Warriors Jersey Flegg, before the wise move to SG Ball footy early in 2020. That SG Ball team was really good but with pandemic niggle, the Warriors had to scrap their own junior teams and shuffle that investment into a few lads moving to Redcliffe age-group teams. Without their own Warriors age-group team, many Warriors juniors moved to other NRL clubs to take up opportunities that the Warriors couldn't offer.

The Warriors have had a few lads playing Redcliffe Under 18s and Under 21s, so it seems like the Warriors have ample teams below NRL level. The shift is evident in having an SG Ball squad full of their own players, to then having two or three lads in the Redcliffe U18 team or five lads in the Redcliffe U21s team. Fringe NRL players have regular reserve grade footy with Redcliffe yet this is not a Warriors system. Both parties work together for the best result.

Through all of that, the Warriors have developed Edward Kosi, Rocco Berry, Viliami Vailea and Taniela Otukolo from juniors in Aotearoa to playing NRL footy. Kina and Lingi Kepu, Lleyton Finau and Junior Ratuva are on the cusp of NRL footy heading into the season, plus there is a new crop of Warriors juniors who have moved to Redcliffe.

There is a lack of an Aotearoa halves junior in this mix but the Warriors have made different moves in the halves department by snaring veteran halves like Shaun Johnson and Ash Taylor. Given the lack of any other Warriors team below NRL, the lack of halves is understandable. Take that further and sip the cup of realism to admire how the club has compiled a funky NRL roster, developed juniors from Aotearoa and still has systems in Aotearoa ready for the return.

This is a funky NRL roster. Don't think too hard about it. The forward pack has Tohu Harris, Addin Fonua-Blake, Matt Lodge and younger lads like Josh Curran, Jazz Tevaga, Bunty Afoa and Eliesa Katoa who continue to develop. Wayde Egan is a solid hooker, with Otukolo as an exciting youngster backing him up. Competition in the halves with Chanel Harris-Tavita and Kodi Nikorima competing with Ash Taylor for reps alongside Johnson.

Slide into the backline and slide back to round tahi last season. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck started at fullback vs Gold Coast Titans, David Fusitu'a and Ken Maumalo on the wings. Peta Hiku at centre. Those four lads are gone and with Reece Walsh, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Euan Aitken, Marcelo Montoya and ample young talent in this pocket, there is a different but encouraging outlook.

Not having any mid-season departures will be new for the Warriors after players returned to Aotearoa in 2020, then players departed mid-way through 2021. The club endured those mid-season departures and while that's a good sign, no club should be dealing with that and no other NRL club has dealt with that during this period.

Does the roster smell like a championship group? Not really but that's the point here. Turangawaewae is about foundations, about roots in the soil and establishing an identity or culture that can endure that tough times. The Warriors have had everything but their NRL team stripped away and no one really seems to care, meanwhile the Warriors continue to trudge forward with their club split between two countries.

There are no expectations in the Diary Of An Aotearoa Warriors Fan. Just dealing with what is in front of us and before we crack into 2022 NRL footy, take some time to tap in to all the things you love about Aotearoa Warriors. Then let the annual rollercoaster take you for a ride.

Join the Niche Cache Patreon whanau to support our kiwi sports content straight up, get a karma boost and find extra podcasts.

Every Monday and Friday we fire off an email with bonus content. Sign up here!

Peace and love.